1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a washing machine having an automatic detergent introducing system and more particularly, to a washing machine to which an automatic detergent introducing system is attached for completely dissolving and introducing detergent into a washing tank.
2. Description of the Prior Arts
A washing machine to which an automatic detergent introducing system is attached has been widely used. There have been general trends wherein automatic systems for introducing the water, detergent and other materials into the washing machine, are attached to almost all kinds of industrial washing machines as well as home-appliance washing machines. Along with these trends, even though various kinds of systems have been proposed, these systems depend on a method wherein a detergent is dissolved previously before being introduced into the washing machine. One example of detergent dissolving apparatus having the above method is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,557 (issued to Cecil B. Young and Lorton).
FIG. 1 is a side view for showing an automatic detergent introducing system as disclosed in the above U.S. patent. The automatic detergent introducing system suggested by Cecil B. Young et al. is a system wherein the amount of detergent to be introduced thereinto is controlled depending on the amount of the spraying water. The automatic detergent introducing system has a container 11 for retaining detergent therein until used, a screen 22 having such a mesh size that only the dissolved portion of the detergent by water can pass through, a nozzle 50 for ejecting water toward screen 22, in a controlled manner to dissolved a portion of the particulate detergent in the vicinity of screen 22 and a funnel tube 24 where the dissolved detergent which passed through screen 22 gathers therein for being dispensed into the interior portion of the washing machine.
An operation of the washing machine will be described below. First, container 11 is filled with the dry particulate detergent which is too large to pass through mesh holes of screen 22 before being dissolved. Once nozzle 50 ejects water which passes through screen 22 to be put into an interior portion of container 11, detergent in the vicinity of the screen is dissolved sufficiently to pass through the screen and gather in a receptacle 24. The water gathered in receptacle 24 can flow through an outlet 48 to be dispensed into the washing tank of the washing machine. The amounts of water ejected from the nozzle can be controlled, so that those of dispensed detergent can be controlled. Thus, if the desired amount of detergent is determined, the ejection amount of water can be controlled by a controller (not shown).
In the above automatic detergent dispensing system, the completely dissolved detergent which can pass through the screen can be put into the washing tank of the washing machine, so that the non-dissolved detergent does not occur in the washing tank of the washing machine. However, the automatic detergent dispensing system according to the above method has various disadvantages, e.g., water is directly ejected toward the container which retains the overall detergent, so that detergent in the middle and upper portions of the container can be wet. The reason is that the particulate detergent can mixed by an intense strength of ejection water, so that the particulate detergent becomes further wet. After finishing an initial cycle of the washing operation, the remaining wet detergent becomes solid, so that, at the next cycle thereof, the amounts of detergent to be dissolved is reduced as compared with the initial use. With that, it is difficult to accurately adjust the desired amount of detergent, and also it takes too much time for the dissolved detergent to pass through the very small mesh hole of the screen. As a result, the washing process is delayed, and so the overall washing time is extended. Further, the dissolved amounts of detergent depend on the strength of ejection water, thereby not to accurately control the dispensed amounts of detergent.